Simon Fenech On Turning The Pain Of Addiction Into A Force For Social Impact

Simon Fenech is the General Manager of a social enterprise, Fruit2Work, which creates meaningful employment opportunities for those who are impacted by the justice system by delivering fresh fruit and milk to workplaces.

A former Australian and Asia-Pacific kickboxing champion, Simon was a finalist in the Social Enterprise Champion of the Year award in 2019. In 2020 he was named by Qantas Travel Insider magazine as one of the 100 most inspiring Australians. He lives with his family in Sunbury, Victoria. I first saw Simon speak at the Social Traders Conference back in 2018 and has been making a significant difference with his work.

Simon discusses his transformation from a drug addict to a chance creator of meaningful employment opportunities for those impacted by the justice system, live from the 2022 Social Enterprise World Forum.

Highlights from the interview (listen to the podcast for full details)

[Tom Allen] - To start off, what led to your passion and becoming General Manager of Fruit2Work?

[Simon Fenech] - Well, the story is quite long, and it was a life that I would never have chosen for myself. In 2008, I considered myself a very successful man. I was married with two children, lived in a beautiful double story home, drove a Mercedes-Benz, rode a Harley-Davidson, and had a well paying job. I was fit as a fiddle; I was a two-time Australian Kickboxing Champion and a South Pacific Champion. Then, one day whilst I was at work, I was struck in the back with a forklift, damaging my lower spine. That's where it all started for me. Being in chronic pain, the doctors put me on numerous medications and treatments, and nothing really worked.

I didn't want to see any of my kickboxing friends anymore, and I stayed at home on my own. I didn't want to see or hear from anybody. I felt useless as a father, man, and provider. Then, one day out of the blue, an acquaintance popped up who heard I wasn't doing too well. He thought he'd bring me something to make me feel a little bit better, and it was the drug Ice. I was fairly desperate at this point because this was an ongoing issue for twelve months with no relief. I would've tried anything. I watched him put this small crystal type substance into a glass pipe, put a cigarette lighter underneath it, and he said, “inhale this.” I did, and all I can say after that very first time I used Ice was whoa! That's the best way I can describe it, because every hair from my tippy toes to the back of my neck stood up, and I felt amazing. All of a sudden, my mind was no longer a prisoner in my own body.

Then, I knew I was in trouble, because I wanted more of that feeling; I knew I was addicted to Ice. I came up with this “great” idea of throwing the doctor's medication in the bin and self-medicating on one hundred dollars’ worth of Ice a day. At least that's where it started. It started with 100 dollars, quickly escalated to 200, 300, 500, 700, and in the end, I was using over a 1000 dollars’ worth of Ice a day.

In that world, to survive, you either deal or you steal to support your habit. I chose to deal drugs. Whilst dealing drugs, I was stabbed 3 times in the back of the neck, and I was nearly killed.

Whilst using drugs, my father died. A short time later, my brother died, and then three months later my mother died. I just kept using more and more Ice to numb the pain. Twelve months after that, my daughter died and placing her coffin into the ground was the end of life for me. I didn't want to be here anymore, and I tried taking my own life five times. How I stand here today or in this interview I will never know, but I'm ever so grateful I do. It was tough, again not a life I would've chosen for myself. By then, I'd gotten the police's attention and after numerous police raids, and them finding drugs each time, I was sentenced to twelve months in prison with an eighteen-month corrections order. Now jail is exactly where I deserved to be. I was dealing drugs; I deserved to go to jail. But, jail was an eye opener, a three by two metre cell, where I was fed through a little slot in the door. Just as you take a mouth full of food, your cell mate, less than a meter away, decides to take it. I thought my life was bad before. I used jail as a place to rehabilitate myself and did numerous programs. I gained tools to cope in life for when I was released.

Being released from prison wasn't as easy as I thought it would be either. Having a corrections order meant I had to do 380 hours of community work and numerous other programs mental health, drug and alcohol related, as well as try to find a job.

I had no accommodation when I left jail, so the jail had organised a boarding house for me. The boarding house was a drug den, absolutely putrid conditions. My room had 3 syringes on the carpet, my mattress and base had a big dirty brown blood patch on it. I could not start my life there, I was better off back in jail, my jail was cleaner. Fortunately for me, I had my brother who's been a great support and he got me into a better boarding house. He paid for the accommodation, and it was drug free. Then, all I needed was a job, and trying to find a job with a criminal record was next to impossible. Every job I applied for, I would just never hear back. This went on for months.

If you haven't got a roof over your head or if you cannot get a job, how are you supposed to get on your feet?

They fall hand in hand, because if you haven't got a job, you can't afford a roof over your head, and if you haven't got a roof over your head and you're sleeping in a gutter somewhere, you can't get a job. I went and saw my case worker at corrections and said I can't do this anymore, I think I'm better off back in jail. I'm hungry, broke, and I can't get a job. By chance, she reached into the trash can and pulled out a flyer from Fruit2Work, the social enterprise that I work for. It said they were seeking a delivery driver, and if you have a criminal record, you’re encouraged to apply.

I never even had money to make a phone call. I asked her to make a phone call for me, she arranged an interview and I was met by a lovely lady who heard my story and gave me a chance.

Tell us more about Fruit2Work, what this organisation does and what it is that you continue to do to help others?

Fruit2Work does what it says on the label. Basically, we deliver fruit, milk, and pantry items to over 500 businesses around Victoria. But, what we really do is create meaningful transitional employment for people impacted by the justice system, people just like me who want another chance at life. We've been really good at it so far; we've been in business for six and a half years. After six and a half years we currently employ 36 people.

We have transitioned 70 people back into the community as returning citizens, and in the six and a half years of operation, we've had nobody that has joined our program go back to jail.

As you said, in Australia today, 1 in 2 people released from prison will go back within two years. Fruit2Work has had nobody going back to jail.

What are some of the key lessons you've learnt on your journey? What advice would you give to others and what are your key reflections in this process?

I think employing people with lived experience has a lot to do with it. Having walked in the same shoes as the people coming through and having that understanding has had a lot to do with our success.

Employing people in our workplace where there is no judgment, no stigma, and a safe place for all is really important.

Watching people become better members of the community, reunite with their families, make better parents and role models [is rewarding]. The ripple effect is huge! We learn a lot along the way, and it's been very positive.

Is there any particular advice you would give to an early-stage social entrepreneur testing an idea that they’re keen to progress with?

I would start by knowing and really identifying what your why is. With social enterprise, the product is very easy to sell. If you know what your why is, you can sell with purpose. Let's face it, in a true social enterprise, every dollar goes back into the community. Selling a product is easy, knowing what your purpose and why is is most important.

What other social enterprises are creating a positive social impact?

To be honest with you, I don't really think there's any social enterprise in particular that comes to mind apart from every social enterprise. Impact shouldn't be measured in how big the enterprise is or how many people it has.

Impact should be measured by a collaborative group of people who want to create greater good or live by their purpose. whether the enterprise is big or small, it doesn't really matter, it's what it does for the community.

Are there any particular books, resources or places where you to seek inspiration?

I think Social Traders have been a fantastic example of how social enterprises can come together. They are great at networking, identifying and certifying social enterprises. There's a book called Dollars&Sense as well, which I must admit I feature in, that is also all about social enterprises.